Impatiens plant named ‘Silte Rossa’

ABSTRACT

A new  Impatiens  plant particularly distinguished by medium to large, double, rose-shaped, deep-rose flowers borne well-above the foliage, deep-green foliage, an early flowering response, floriferous throughout the summer, and a medium-sized, round and bushy plant habit, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Impatiens walleriana.

Variety denomination: ‘Silte Rossa’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofImpatiens, botanically known as Impatiens walleriana, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Silte Rossa’. The new cultivaroriginated from a hybridization made in April 2003 in Andijk, TheNetherlands. The female parent was the proprietary deep-pink-floweredImpatiens plant ‘IDY-14-9’ (unpatented), while the male parent was theproprietary salmon-flowered Impatiens plant ‘IDY-29-2’ (unpatented). Theseeds produced by the hybridization were sown in Andijk, The Netherlandsin July 2003. A single plant selection was chosen for further evaluationand for asexual propagation in October 2003 in Andijk, The Netherlands.

The new cultivar was created in 2003 in Andijk, The Netherlands and hasbeen asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings and tissueculture in Andijk, The Netherlands and Hillscheid, Germany over atwo-year period. ‘Silte Rossa’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The present invention has been found to retainits distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

Plants Breeder's Rights for this cultivar were applied for in Canada onOct. 17, 2005 and with the European Union on Nov. 18, 2005.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Andijk, The Netherlands, and Hillscheid,Germany.

-   -   1. Medium to large, double, rose-shaped, deep-rose flowers;    -   2. Deep-green foliage;    -   3. A medium-sized, round and bushy plant habit;    -   4. An early flowering response; and    -   5. Floriferous throughout the summer.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

This new Impatiens plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographwhich shows overall plant habit including blooms, buds, and foliage ofthe plant; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures. The photograph is of a whole plantabout 10-weeks old, grown in a greenhouse in Hillscheid, Germany in lateMay 2005.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Silte Rossa’. The data which defines thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inHillscheid, Germany. The plant history was taken in mid September on 9-to 10-week old un-pinched plants which had been planted as rootedcuttings in 12-cm pots mid-July 2005 and grown in a greenhouse at aminimum temperature of 21° C. Color readings were taken under naturallight in the greenhouse. Color references are primarily to the R.H.S.Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.)(2001).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Balsaminaceae.        -   Botanical.—Impatiens walleriana Hook.        -   Common name.—Impatiens.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—‘IDY-14-9’ a proprietary deep-pink-flowered            Impatiens plant (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—‘IDY-29-2’, a proprietary salmon-flowered            Impatiens plant (unpatented).-   Growth:    -   -   Growth and branching habit.—Medium-sized, round, bushy and            well-branched.        -   Height.—18.5 cm.        -   Width.—16.5 cm.        -   Propagation.—Terminal tips for cuttings.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—About 8 weeks            for a 12-cm pot.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—18 days or less at 22°            C.-   Branches:    -   -   Average number.—8.8.        -   Length of main branches.—14 cm to 19 cm.        -   Internode length.—0.5 cm to 1.5 cm.        -   Diameter of branches (at midpoint).—0.7 cm.        -   Stem color.—RHS 145A (light green) near the nodes with RHS            184D (reddish) infused towards the base.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Primarily alternate.        -   Size.—Length: 9.8 cm. Width: 5.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical, broad.        -   Margin.—Crenate, ciliate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Acute or obtuse.        -   Color (mature leaves).—General: Dark green. Upper surface:            RHS 137A. Lower surface: RHS 138B.        -   Color (immature leaves).—Upper side: Near RHS 137A. Lower            side: RHS 138B, weakly variable or marbled.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation color.—Upper surface: Indistinct, RHS 145C near the            leaf base. Lower surface: RHS 145B (pale green).        -   Petioles.—Length: Variable, up to 4.5 cm. Diameter: 0.3 cm            to 0.4 cm. Color: Upper surface: RHS 145D. Lower surface:            RHS 145C. Texture: Glabrous.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Shape.—Ovoid, broad.        -   Size.—Length: 1.3 cm. Diameter: 1.5 cm.        -   Color at tight bud.—Light-pink, RHS 65A or RHS 62B.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Blooming habit.—Approximately 7 weeks after planting of            rooted cuttings.        -   Inflorescence type.—Inflorescences appear solitary in the            leaf axils of the upper nodes of the stems.        -   Number of flowers per node.—2 to 4 in various stages of            development.        -   Flowering season.—Continuously, mainly from March to            October, depending on light intensity.        -   Lastingness of the individual blooms on the plant.—About 5            to 7 days (at 18° C. in a greenhouse in the spring).        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Peduncle.—Color: RHS 145A to RHS 145B (light green). Size:            Length: 5.5 cm. Diameter: 1.5 cm to 3.0 cm (lower end).            Texture: Flexible, glabrous.-   Flowers:    -   -   Form and shape of corolla.—Double-type, rose-like.        -   Corolla size.—Length: 3.8 cm. Width: 3.4 cm. Depth: 1.5 cm.        -   Number of petals.—More than 20.-   Petals:    -   -   Shape.—Ovate or cordate.        -   Apex.—Rounded or emarginate.        -   Base.—Attenuate to wide and obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Petal size.—Length: 1.6 cm to 2.0 cm. Width: 1.4 cm to 1.8            cm.        -   Color.—General: Deep rose. Upper surface: RHS 58B to RHS 58C            with occasional RHS 53D (deeper red) middle lines. Lower            surface: Mainly RHS 52B.        -   Texture.—Smooth, satiny.-   Spur:    -   -   Shape.—Curved, downward directed.        -   Color.—RHS 145B (light green).        -   Size.—Length: 3.0 cm. Diameter: 0.3 cm at the flower end.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Not observed.        -   Pistils.—Style and stigma: 5, very short, RHS 8D            (pale-yellow). Ovary: 5-celled. Ovary length: 0.6 cm. Ovary            color: RHS 143B.-   Fruit and seed set: No seed set observed.-   Disease and insect resistance: No particular resistance or    susceptibility has been observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

‘Silte Rossa’ differs from the female parent ‘IDY-14-9’ (unpatented) byhaving deep-rose, double flowers, while ‘IDY-14-9’ has deep-pink, singleflowers.

-   -   ‘Silte Rossa’ differs from the male parent ‘IDY-29-2’        (unpatented), by having deep-rose, double flowers, while        ‘IDY-29-2’ has salmon, single flowers.    -   ‘Silte Rossa’ differs from the commercial cultivar ‘Didi Carmine        Two’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,619) in that ‘Silte Rossa’ has        deep-rose flowers, while ‘Didi Carmine Two’ has red-purple        flowers. Additionally, ‘Silte Rossa’ has a lower and more        rounded plant habit that ‘Didi Carmine Two’.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens plant as shown and describedherein.